Nominations Open for Adoption Excellence Awards

Each year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) presents Adoption Excellence Awards to recognize individuals, families, and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to providing safe, permanent, and loving homes for children in foster care. Winners are those who have demonstrated leadership, innovative approaches, and dedication that contribute significantly to the successful adoption of children from foster care.

Nominations will open in early June for the 2011 Adoption Excellence Awards, and completed nomination packets are due by July 29, 2011. Nominees may be individuals and organizations, including States, public agencies, universities, Tribes, courts, families, faith-based organizations, businesses, and more. Awards will be made in nine categories:

Decrease in the length of time that children in foster care wait for adoption

Increased adoptions of older children

Interjurisdictional adoptions

Support for adoptive families

Family contributions

Philanthropy and/or business contributions/initiatives

Judicial or child welfare system improvement

Adoption of minority children from foster care

Media/public awareness of adoption from foster care

Nomination packets will be reviewed by a national panel of recognized adoption experts, including members of State and Federal agencies. The review panel will make recommendations for awards to the ACF Commissioner. Winners will be selected on the basis of 10 criteria, including collaboration/partnerships, innovation/uniqueness, and community outreach/involvement.

Everyone interested in making nominations, including self-nominations, is invited to visit the Children's Bureau website for more information:

Links

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